Fortunately when the need is announced, people respond. The Kansas City Board of Election Commissioners reports that it needs poll workers for the Aug. 5 primary election.

Deborah Sams, Democratic judge supervisor, said 80 judges are needed to work the polls in Kansas City within Jackson County south of the Missouri River. Half of the election judges have to be Democrats; half are Republicans. The Republican judge supervisor is Rusty McLouth.

Election judges have to be age 18 or older and registered to vote. Sams said there is no upper age limit for people who elect to take on this civic responsibility.

Those who sign up have to be willing to go anywhere and work long hours — really long hours — like 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Election judges also have to go through two training sessions.

But the election board doesn’t ask them to work for free. People picked for the jobs will get paid $140 for the day and $35 for each training session. The pay is a bit more for supervisory judges.

For more information or to apply, call 816-842-4820 and ask for Sams if you are a Democrat or McLouth if you are a Republican. Or go to www.kceb.org.